To celebrate International Women’s Day, this joint event between the CIC National Capital Branch’s Middle East Study Group (MESG) and Africa Study Group (ASG) will feature a panel of distinguished Canadian diplomats:

H.E. Nell Stewart, Canadian Ambassador to Morocco, will share her perspective on the relevance of Canada’s feminist foreign policy in practice, drawing on her experience and background in gender equality.

H.E. Donica Pottie, Canadian Ambassador to Jordon, will share her perspective in the context of “Standing Alongside:  Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy in Jordan”.  She wants to convey the notion that our objective isn’t to get out ahead of women human rights defenders but to support the goals that they identify as useful and achievable.  She will also be stressing that, in advancing any human right, including gender equality, humility and self-reflection is a must.  Canada is still working on making gender equality a reality and we’ve seen through the pandemic how fragile these gains can be.

Margaret Huber, former President of the CIC-NCB and former Canadian ambassador in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East will moderate this event.

Speaker Bios:

Nell Stewart (B.A. avec spécialisation [sciences politiques], Université McGill, 1996; M.Sc. [relations entre les genres], London School of Economics and Political Science, 1997) s’est jointe au ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international en 2002. À l’administration centrale, elle a travaillé au sein de la Direction des droits de la personne, des affaires humanitaires et de la promotion internationale de la femme, du Groupe de travail sur l’Afghanistan et du Groupe de travail sur Haïti. Elle a été directrice du Programme d’aide au renforcement des capacités antiterroristes et du Programme d’aide au renforcement des capacités de lutte contre la criminalité de 2013 à 2016, et directrice exécutive de la Direction d’Haïti de 2016 à 2018. Elle est devenue directrice exécutive du Secrétariat du Conseil consultatif sur l’égalité des sexes pour la présidence canadienne du G7 en 2018. À l’étranger, elle a été affectée à Hong Kong de 2000 à 2002 à titre de vice-consule à l’immigration, à New York au sein de la mission permanente du Canada auprès des Nations Unies de 2005 à 2009 en tant que première secrétaire aux droits de la personne et aux affaires sociales, et à Port-au-Prince de 2011 à 2013 à titre de conseillère politique. Mme Stewart est actuellement Ambassadrice du Canada auprès du Maroc.

Nell Stewart (BA Hons [Political Science], McGill University, 1996; MSc [Gender Relations], London School of Economics and Political Science, 1997) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002. At Headquarters, she has worked in the Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and International Women’s Equality Division; the Afghanistan Task Force; and the Haiti Task Force. She was director of the Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programs from 2013 to 2016 and executive director of the Haiti Division from 2016 to 2018. She became executive director of the Gender Equality Advisory Council Secretariat for Canada’s G7 presidency in 2018. Abroad, she served in Hong Kong from 2000 to 2002 as vice-consul for immigration, in New York at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations from 2005 to 2009 as first secretary for human rights and social affairs and in Port-au-Prince from 2011 to 2013 as political counsellor. Ms Stewart is currently Ambassador of Canada to Morocco.

Donica Pottie (B.A. avec spécialisation [études asiatiques], Université St. Mary’s, 1985) est entrée à Affaires extérieures et Commerce extérieur Canada en 1991. À l’administration centrale, elle a été directrice des Politiques sur la sécurité humaine de 2007 à 2010, directrice des Politiques de développement et des Institutions financières internationales de 2012 à 2013, directrice des Opérations de soutien de la paix et des Politiques sur les États fragiles de 2013 à 2015, et directrice générale des Opérations consulaires de 2015 à 2016. À l’étranger, elle a été affectée en Chine à titre de troisième, puis de deuxième secrétaire et de vice-consule de 1993 à 1996, en Jordanie comme chef de la section politique de 1999 à 2002, au Cambodge en tant qu’ambassadrice de 2004 à 2007, et en Thaïlande à titre d’ambassadrice (avec accréditation multiple à la République démocratique populaire lao et au Cambodge) de 2016 à 2019.

Donica Pottie (BA Hons [Asian Studies], Saint Mary’s University, 1985) joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1991. At Headquarters, she was director of Human Security Policy from 2007 to 2010, director of Development Policy and International Financial Institutions from 2012 to 2013, director of Peace Support Operations and Fragile States Policy from 2013 to 2015 and director general of Consular Operations from 2015 to 2016. Overseas, she served as third and second secretary and vice consul in China from 1993 to 1996, as head of the political section in Jordan from 1999 to 2002, as ambassador to Cambodia from 2004 to 2007 and as ambassador to Thailand (with cross-accreditation to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia) from 2016 to 2019.

Margaret Huber, community leader, former diplomat, mentor.  Director (+ past president) of the Canadian International Council’s National Capital Branch + Harvard Club of Ottawa. On board of Pharos Global Health Advisors. Former Ambassador in Europe, Asia and the Middle East (inc. Iraq, 2007-10). During extensive diplomatic career, worked closely with international organizations including the United Nations, the European Union, the International Olympic Committee, the Asian Development Bank + the International Committee of the Red Cross. Strong believer in life-long learning (graduate McGill University, uOttawa, Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, Institute of Corporate Directors. Fellow of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative).

TO REGISTER:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_goPEm-UBSoGd7WjT66KwEw